Resource & Development

Resource - (i) has utility or value
     (ii) techonologically accessible, economically feasible and culturally acceptable
Classification of Resources
a) On the basis of Origin - (i) Biotic - Living biengs - Flora, Fauna, Fisheries etc
                                         (ii) Abiotic - Non-living things - Rocks & Metals
b) On the basis of Renewability -
(i) Renewable - can be renewed, reproduced by Physical, Chemical or Mechanical process. Solar, Wind energy, water, forest and wildlife. May further be divided into continous or flow
(ii) Non-Renewable - occur over a very long geological time. Minerals and fossil fuels. Some of the resources like metals are recyclable and some like fossil fuels cannot be recycled
c) On the basis of ownership of Resources -
(i) Individual - owned privately by individuals.
(ii) Community - accessible to all the members of the community
(iii) National - All the minerals, water resources, forests, wildlife, land within the political boundaries and oceanic area upto 12 nautical miles (22.2 km) from the coast termed as territorial water and resources therein belong to the nation
(iv) International - . The oceanic resources beyond 200 nautical miles of the Exclusive Economic Zone belong to open ocean and no individual country can  utilise  these  without  the concurrence of international institutions
d) On the basis of the Status of Development
(i) Potential - Resources which are found in a region, but have not been utilised or have not been developed properly. Solar energy in Rajasthan
(ii) Developed - Resources which are surveyed and their quality and quantity have been determined for utilisation
(iii) Stock - Materials which have the potential to satisfy human needs but human beings do not have the appropriate technology to access these
(iv) Reserves - which can be put into use with the help of existing technical 'know-how' but their use has not been started. These can be used for meeting future requirements
Development of Resources
Indiscriminate use of resources has led to the following major problems.
(i) Depletion of resources
(ii) Accumulation of resources in few hands
(iii) led to global ecological crises
Resource Planning
Why ? (i) diversity in the availability of resources
           (ii) Non-renewable resources
Resource Planning in India
(i) identification and inventory of resources
(ii) appropriate technology, skill and institutional set up
(iii) matching the resource development plans with overall national development plans
Conservation of Resources
Why ? (i) necessary for the development of resources
           (ii) take care of the non-renewable resources
“There is enough for eveybody’s need and not for anybody’s greed.” - Gandhiji

Land Resources
Natural resource of utmost importance
In India, Plains - 43%, facilities for agriculture and industry
Mountains - 30%, ensure perennial flow of river, facilties for tourism and ecological aspects
Plateaus - 27%, rich reserves of minerals, fossil fuels and forests
Land use pattern in India
Total Geographical area of India - 3.28 million sq. km
Factors affecting land use pattern
Physical factors - Topography, Climate, Soil types
Human factors - Population density, technological capability, cutlure and traditions
Features of Land use pattern in India -
(i) Permanent pastures has declined
(ii) Pattern of Net Sown Area varies
     (a) over 80 % of the total area - Punjab and Haryana
     (b) less than 10 % in Arunanchal Pradesh, Mizoram, Manipur, Andaman & Nicobar Islands
(iii) Forest area is far lower than desired
(iv) Continous use of land has led to land degradation
Land Degradation
Meaning - Devaluation of Land
Distribution of degraded land in India - 130 million hectares (28% - forest degraded area, 56% eroded area, rest is affected by Saline and Alkaline deposits)
Causes of land degradation
Mining sites are abondoned - Jharkhand, Chattisgarh, M.P & Orissa
Overgrajing - Gujarat, Rajasthan, M.P & Maharashtra
Over irrigation, water logging - Punjab, Haryana, Western U.P
Mineral processing
Discharge of industrial waste & effluents
Ways to solve the problems
(i) Aforestation and proper management of grazing
(ii) Planting of Shelter belts, control on over grazing
(iii) stabilisation of sand dunes, growing thorny bushes
(iv) proper management of waste lands, control of mining, proper discharge & disposal of industrial wastes

Soil as a Resource
Uppermost layer of the earth, which is loose, fragmented and useful for plant growth
Factors of formation - Relief, Parent Rock, Climate, Vegetation and Time

Alluvial Soil
(i) Most widely spread and important
(ii) Entire Northern Plains, eastern coastal plains
(iii) Consists of various proportions of sand, soil and clay
(iv) On the basis of their age -old alluviam (Bangar), New Alluviam (Khadar)
(v) Contain adequate proportion of potash, phosphoric acid and lime
(vi) Regions of alluvial soil are intensively cultivated and densely populated
Black Soil
(i) Also known as Black or Regur Soil
(ii) Climatic condition, parent rock materiel - factors of formation
(iii) Plateaus of Maharashtra, Saurashtra, Malwa, M.P and Chattisgarh
(iv) Made up of extremely fine clayey material, capacity to hold moisture
(v) Rich in Calcium Carbonate, Magensium, Potash & Lime. Poor in Phosphoric content
(vi) During summer develops deep cracks, becomes sticky when wet
Red and Yellow Soil
(i) Develops on crystalline igneous rocks in areas of low rainfall
(ii) Part of Orissa, Chattisgarh, southern parts of Middle Ganga plain, piedmont zone of the western ghats
(iii) Reddish colour due to diffusion of iron in crystalline & metamorphic rocks. Yellow when ocurrs in hydrated form
Laterite Soil
(i) develops in areas with high temperature and heavy rainfall, result of intense leaching
(ii) humus content is low, suitable for cultivation with use of manures and fertilisers
(iii) Karnataka, Kerala, TN, MP, hilly areas of Orissa and Assam
(iv) The hilly areas of Karnataka, Kerala & TN is useful for growing Tea & Coffee. In TN, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala are useful for cashew nut.
Arid Soil
(i) Red to Brown in colour, sandy in texture and saline in nature. Lacks humus & moisture
(ii) Lower horizons are occupied by Kankar, restricts the infiltration of water
(iii) becomes cultivable after proper irrigation
Forest Soil
(i) Hilly mountainous area, where rain forests exists
(ii) Texture varies according to the mountain environment
(iii) Loamy, Silty in valley sides. Coarse grained in upper slopes
(iv) In Snow covered Himalayas are acidic with low humus content
(v) In the lower parts of valley are fertile

Soil Erosion
Denudation of soil cover & subsequent washing down
Human activities - Deforestation, over grazing, construction are called bad land
Ravines in Chambal basin, Sheet Erosion, also caused by defective method of farming
Conservation Methods
Ploughing along the contour lines - Contour ploughing
Terrace cultivation, Strip Cropping, Shelter belts